Glass bottle breaking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Glass bottle breaking apparatus comprises a hopper ( 17 ) for receiving empty glass bottles ( 47 ) in bulk, at least a portion of the hopper ( 17 ) being formed as a grating including stop means ( 31 ), and a shaft ( 22 ) located outside of the hopper ( 17 ) carrying hammers ( 43, 44 ) mounted for pivotal movement relative to the shaft. When the shaft ( 22 ) is rotated on its central longitudinal axis by means of a motor ( 23 ) and drive ( 37, 39, 40 ), the flailing hammers ( 43, 44 ) move in an arcuate path into and through the hopper ( 17 ) towards and through the stop means ( 31 ) and impact with bottles ( 47 ) contained within the hopper ( 17 ) and lying in the path of the hammers ( 43, 44 ) causing breakage of the bottles ( 47 ). The apparatus provides for a compact bottle breaking machine with reduced risk of jamming.

This application is the U.S. national phase of international applicationPCT/GB2004/000248 filed 22 Jan. 2004 which designated the U.S. andclaims benefit of GB 0302150.8, dated 30 Jan. 2003, the entire contentof which is hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention relates to glass bottle breaking apparatus.

In EP-A 0 495 522 there is disclosed glass bottle breaking apparatushaving a chamber including a grating comprising a plurality of spacedparallel stringers arranged in a first portion adapted to receivebottles and a second portion extending upwardly from the first portionto provide stop means, a shaft carrying a series of bottle breakingmeans spaced one from another longitudinally of the shaft and drivemeans for rotating the shaft on a longitudinal axis thereof to cause thebreaking means to move in an arcuate path relative to the axis andthrough corresponding spaces between the stringers so as to breakbottles when located in the path.

The shaft extends through the chamber and each breaking means comprisesa rigid component which is secured to the shaft and the arcuate path issuch that the breaking means move downwardly towards and through thefirst portion of the grating and effect crushing of bottles locatedbetween the breaking means and the first portion of the grating.

The arrangement suffers from a disadvantage in that it is not adapted toreceive bottles in bulk. If up to four bottles are simultaneously loadedinto the apparatus, it may be that the bottles are crushed, even if theyare positioned untidily or haphazardly, but if the batch comprisessubstantially more bottles, there will be no opportunity for other thanfour of them to slide under the breaking means and they would back upand cause a blockage resulting in malfunction of the apparatus (socalled “jamming”).

In a commercial environment, where beverages are dispensed at bars, suchapparatus when located at or near a bar for breaking empty bottlescollected for disposal would have limited appeal because disposing ofthe bottles would be time consuming in that only a small number ofbottles could be broken in a single batch without causing jamming.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,268 there is disclosed a multi-flail glasspulverizer which comprises a pair of inter-communicating chambers eachhaving a shaft rotatably mounted therein and each shaft carrying aseries of hammers spaced one from another longitudinally of thereof andeach of the hammers being connected for pivotal movement relative to thecorresponding shaft. A first of the chambers is provided with an inletfor receiving empty glass bottles. In operation, the shafts rotate ontheir longitudinal axes causing the hammers also to rotate and breakinto glass fragments bottles which are deposited into the inlet and thefragments are swept into an impact zone between the two chambers wherethe fragments bounce back and forth between the two sets of rotatinghammers and thereby become fully comminuted into small particles.

The inlet is funnel shaped, in that it is formed as a narrowing tube,and, in effect, the bottles feed individually through the inlet into thefirst chamber. Therefore, even if the pulverizer were to be providedwith a hopper for receiving bottles in bulk, the flow of bottles wouldneed to be channeled so that they flow successively into the inlet, aconfluence which is a common cause of jamming. Apart from beingsusceptible to jamming and slow because of being a single feedoperation, the pulverizer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 944,268 is notsuitable for use in bars because it is not compact.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,866 there is disclosed apparatus for pulverizingand cleaning brittle recyclable materials, such as glass, which includesa chamber, a shaft located below the chamber carrying a plurality ofhammers and drive means for rotating the shaft on a longitudinal axisthereof to cause the hammers to move in an arcuate path relative to theaxis so as to effect pulverization of the materials passing between themoving hammers and a stationary plate. The hammers co-operate with theplate in a clipping action.

The clipping action would not provide satisfactory bottle breakage in a“one pass” operation because it is likely that bottles would passbetween the hammers and the plate without being completely smashed,there being no means of bottle support adjacent the plate. Indeed, thismay not be significant for the purpose for which the apparatus isintended, which is to comminute fragments of material into smallparticles, because this is achieved mainly by re-cycling materialthrough the apparatus. The fragments could pass many times between thehammers and the plate. The main requirement for such apparatus is not somuch speed of bottle breakage but efficient comminuting. Such recyclingthrough the apparatus would be a disadvantage if it were a feature ofbottle breaking apparatus for use in bars because it would slow thebottle-breaking throughput. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,073,866 would also be unsuitable for use in bars because it is notcompact.

The present invention is characterized in that the chamber is a hopperfor receiving bottles in bulk and in that the shaft is located outsideof the hopper such that the path of the hammers extends arcuately intoand through the hopper and towards and through the stop means so thatthe hammers impact on bottles located in the path against the stopmeans.

Therefore, with apparatus in accordance with the present invention,bottles are receivable in the hopper in bulk without interference andconstraint and, since the hammers impact on bottles when in the hopper,there is no necessity to channel the bottles and, in consequence,jamming is eliminated or reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, apparatus inaccordance with the present invention is compact because the hammers areconstrained to effect breakage of bottles within the hopper.

Following is a description, by way of example only and with reference tothe accompanying drawings, of one method of carrying the invention intoeffect

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine including anembodiment of glass bottle breaking apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention,

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of part of the apparatus, and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a glass bottle breakingmachine 10 comprising a casing 11 having an upper opening 12 and a loweropening (not shown). The casing 11 is attached to a frame 13 andattached to inner surfaces of the casing 11 are inner panels 14 and 15,which provide a receptacle 16 for a hopper 17 and which also provideguides 18, 19. Also mounted on the frame 13 are bearings 20, 21, inwhich are received opposite ends of a transverse shaft 22, a motor 23and a housing 24. The upper opening 12 is closed by means of a lid 25,which is hinged to the frame 13, as shown at 26.

The hopper 17 is formed as a basket comprising a plurality of spacedparallel stringers 27 and cross members (not shown). Each of thestringers 27 is of rectangular transverse cross-sectional area and, inelevation as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a front wall portion 28, a rearwall portion 29 and a base portion 30. Each front wall portion 28 slopesdownwardly and inwardly to a corresponding base portion 30; each rearwall portion 29 initially slopes downwardly and inwardly and thenvertically downwardly, as shown at 31, to the corresponding base portion30; and each base portion 30 initially slopes downwardly and inwardlyfrom a corresponding front wall portion 28 and then horizontally, asshown at 32, to the vertical component 31 of the corresponding rear wallportion 29. At least the two outermost of the stringers 27 are eachprovided with upper front wall lugs, one of which is shown at 33,whereby the hopper 17 is pivotally connected to the frame 13, as shownat 34. A spring (not shown) provides a resilient bias urging the hopper17 in an anti-clockwise direction of the pivot axis 34, when viewed inFIG. 1. The two outermost of the stringers 27 also each have attachedthereto on outer surfaces thereof a corresponding one of a pair of sideplates, one of which is shown at 35. The vertical and horizontalcomponents 31, 32 of each of the stringers 27 combine to provide atrough having a concave back wall, as shown at 36.

An end portion of the shaft 22 adjacent the motor 23 has secured theretoa pulley 37 and a shaft 38 of the motor 23 has secured thereto a pulley39. The pulleys 37 and 39 are linked by means of an endless belt 40whereby rotation of the shaft 22 on a central longitudinal axis thereofis effected by drive from the motor 23 through the shaft 38, the pulley39, the belt 40 and the pulley 37.

The shaft 22 extends transversely below the hopper 17 and has securedthereto a plurality of discs 41 located co-axially with the centrallongitudinal axis of the shaft 22 and spaced one from anotherlongitudinally of the shaft 22 at distances corresponding to adjacentspaces between the stringers 27 of the hopper 17. Each of the discs 41has pivotally connected thereto, as shown at 42, an end portion of eachof a pair of elongate hammers 43,44 each having at a tip remote from theshaft 22 an area of reinforcement, as shown at 45. The pivot connections42 of each pair of hammers 43,44 are diametrically opposed one toanother and the axes passing through the pivot connections 42 ofadjacent discs 41 are offset by 180 degrees.

The housing 24 contains an electric circuit for controlling the motor23, the circuit also including switches (not shown).

Prior to operation of the machine 10, a container 46 is inserted in themachine 10 through the lower opening (not shown) and is located belowthe guides 18 and 19. The lid 25 is then opened and empty glass bottles47 are deposited into the hopper 17 and the lid 25 is closed. One of theswitches of the electric circuit is closed by downward movement of thehopper 17, against the bias of the spring, due to weight of bottles 47contained in the hopper 17. Another of the switches is closed by closureof the lid 25. The effect of closure of the switches is that, when poweris supplied by operation of another of the switches of the electriccircuit, the motor 23 operates thereby effecting rotation of the shaft22 through the pulleys 37 and 39 and the drive belt 40.

In consequence, the hammers 43,44 are swung successively through thehopper 17 in arcuate paths relative to the central longitudinal axis ofthe shaft 22 and in a clockwise direction, when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2,through spaces between adjacent stringers 27 of the hopper 17 causingbreakage of bottles or glass fragments located in the paths of thehammers 43,44. Bottles are thus broken into fragmented pieces of glassand the fragments fall away through spaces between the stringers 27 ofthe hopper 17. The panels 14 and 15 are arranged such that the guides18, 19 leave an opening below the hopper 17 and guide the glassfragments into the container 46 where they collect as cullet.

In contrast, if all of the switches are not closed, either because thereare no bottles 47 in the hopper 17 to provide sufficient weight toeffect switch closure or because the lid 25 has not been closed afterbottles 47 have been loaded into the hopper 17, the motor 23 will notbecome operative. The latter ensures that the lid 25 is in a closedcondition during operation of the motor 23 and that glass fragments arenot ejected from the machine 10, other than those which are guided bythe guides 18 and 19.

The machine 10 may be provided with a plate 48 for supporting thecontainer 46, the plate 48 being pivotally connected at a marginal edgethereof to the frame 13, as shown at 49, and an opposite marginal edgethereof being located on a sensor 50 adapted to generate signals in theelectric circuit indicative of loading on the plate 48. The arrangementwould be such that the motor 23 would not be mobilized in the event thatthere is no loading on the plate 48, i.e. if the container 46 were to beabsent from the plate 48, and the motor 23 would be immobilized if theweight of cullet in the container 46, when located on the plate 48,exceeded a predetermined magnitude.

The machine 10 thus includes glass bottle breaking apparatus comprisingthe hopper 17, the shaft 22, the hammers 43,44 and the drive means 23,38, 39. 40 and 37 for effecting rotation of the shaft 22. Thearrangement is such that glass bottles 47 can be received in bulk withinthe hopper 17 without restriction because, when the shaft 22 ismotionless, the hammers 43, 44 depend from the shaft 22 and, therefore,do not extend into the hopper 17. The arrangement is also such that, onentering the hopper 17, the bottles 47 roll down the front wall portions28 and the sloping components of the base portions 30 of the stringers27 of the hopper 17 and the leading bottles come to rest against therear wall portions 29 of the stringers 27, which rear wall portions 29provide a stop means for the bottles. The stop means provides a reactionagainst the force of the hammers 43, 44 which move, in their arcuatepaths, upwardly into the hopper 17 and towards and through the stopmeans causing breakage by impact with bottles 47 located in the paths.The effect is enhanced by the vertical and horizontal components 31, 32of the stringers 27 which reduce any tendency for the bottles 47 to rideup the stop means when subjected to the force of the hammers 43, 44. Theeffect is further enhanced by the concave profile 36 of the stop means.As the leading bottles 47 are smashed by the hammers 43, 44, they arereplaced by trailing bottles 47 which move forwardly towards the stopmeans, There is thus hardly any possibility of jamming occurring.

The hammers 43, 44 may be formed of steel and the areas 45 ofreinforcement may be of hardened steel, these being areas of the hammers43, 44 which impact with bottles 47.

Although such reinforcement increases the effective period of use of thehammers 43, 44, it may be necessary to replace hammers 43, 44 from timeto time. In this regard, instead of being mounted on the frame 13, thebearings 20, 21 for the shaft 22, the motor 23 and the housing 24 mayall be mounted on a tray which is slideable under the hopper 17. In theevent of breakage of any of the hammers 43,44, or any malfunction of theoperating mechanism, the tray may be removed from under the hopper 17and repair effected.

Also, instead of being attached to inner surfaces of the casing 11, thepanels 14, 15 may be attached to the stringers 27 of the hopper 17.

It will be appreciated that a machine incorporating glass bottlebreaking apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be oflower overall height, and therefore more compact, than glass bottlebreaking machines known hitherto because the sweep of the hammers iswithin the hopper.

It will also be appreciated that glass bottle breaking apparatus inaccordance with the present invention may be supplied separate from amachine casing so that it can be supplied for manufacture of machines ofdifferent sizes and specifications. The apparatus may be supplied foruse not in a machine but, for example, in ducting extending from a barto a cellar below.

1. Glass bottle breaking apparatus having a chamber (27 to 32, 35)including a grating (27 to 32) comprising a plurality of spaced parallelstringers (27) arranged in a first portion (32) adapted to receivebottles (47) and a second portion (31) extending upwardly from the firstportion (32) to provide stop means (31), a shaft (22) carrying a seriesof hammers (43, 44) spaced one from another longitudinally of the shaft(22) and each of the hammers (43, 44) being connected for pivotalmovement relative to the shaft (22) and drive means (23, 37, 39, 40) forrotating the shaft (22) on a longitudinal axis thereof to cause thehammers (43, 44) to move in an arcuate path relative to the axis andthrough corresponding spaces between the stringers (27) so as to breakbottles (47) when located in the path characterised in that the chamber(27 to 32, 35) is a hopper (17) for receiving bottles (47) in bulk andin that the shaft (22) is located outside of the hopper (17) such thatthe path of the hammers (43, 44) extends arcuately into and through thehopper (17) and towards and through the stop means (31) so that thehammers (43, 44) impact on bottles (47) located in the path against thestop means (31).
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised inthat the first portion (32) extends orthogonally from the stop means(31) in a direction transversely of the apparatus.
 3. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 characterised in that the drive means (23, 37, 39,40) includes a motor (23) and there is provided control means (24) forcontrolling operation of the motor (23).
 4. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 3 characterised in that the hopper (17) includes a cover (25) andthe control means (24) includes means for disabling the motor (23) whenthe cover (25) is not in a position covering the hopper (17). 5.Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the control means(24) includes a sensor (50) for detecting presence of a container (46)for receiving fragments of glass which issue from the hopper (17). 6.Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the control means(24) is adapted to disable the motor (23) when the weight of contents(47) in the container (46) exceeds a predetermined magnitude. 7.Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the control means(24) includes means for disabling the motor (23) unless contents arecontained in the hopper (17).
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7characterised in that the hopper (17) is pivotable and the control means(24) includes a switch operable upon pivoting of the hopper (17) so thatthe drive means (23, 37, 39, 40) is operative only when weight of atleast one bottle (47) causes pivotal movement of the hopper (17). 9.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the shaft (22) isprovided with a plurality of discs (41) coaxial with a centrallongitudinal axis of the shaft (22) and spaced one from anotherlongitudinally of the shaft (22) and in that the hammers (43, 44) aregrouped in pairs, each pair being pivotally connected to a correspondingone of the discs (41).
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 characterisedin that the hammers (43, 44) of each pair are pivotally connected to acorresponding disc (41) at opposite ends of a diameter of the disc (41)and the diameter is offset by 180 degrees relative to a correspondingdiameter of each adjacent disc (41).